Brake operating mechanism



Jan. 25, 1938. c. J. HARLOW BRAKE OPERATING MECHANISM ZSheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 4, 1937 lnvent or C. I Ham/0W Attorneys Jan. 25, 1938. c. J. HARLOW 2,

BRAKE OPERATING MECHANI S M Filed June 4, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Htio neys Patented Jan. 25, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT] OFFICE I 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in brake operating mechanisms for automobiles and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a

novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts whereby equal power will be transmitted to all four brakes of the vehicle from the foot pedal.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a 19 brake operating mechanism of the aforementioned character which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly eiiicient and reliable in use,'compact and which may be manu factured and installed at low cost. All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become. ap-

, parent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection 'with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a brake operating mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a view in vertical longitudinal section, taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view, taken sub- 80 stantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modification.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the reference numeral I designates a transverse shaft of suitable metal which is mounted on the frame 2 of the vehicle at an intermediate point. At one end, the transverse shaft l terminates in a ball 3 which is journalled in a socket 4 on a bracket 5 which is rigidly s'ecured to one side of the'frame 2.

"o The socket 4' has formed therein a slot 6 in which an upstanding arm 1 on the ball 3 is adapted to swing. A suitable flexible cable 9 connects the arm I to the brake pedal (not shown) of the automobile.

Mounted on the other side of the frame 2 of the vehicle is a horizontally projecting plate 9 .over which the free end portion or the shaft I projects. Mounted for vertical sliding movement in the end portions of the plate 9 are rods l0 having heads II on their, lower ends. At their other ends, the rods I0 terminate in reduced, threaded shanks I2 on which a longitudinally extending bar I3 is mounted. Nuts I4 on the I2 secure the bar I3 in position. It will be observed that the bar I3 is secured between the nuts I4 and the shoulders I! which'are provided by the reduced shanks I2 on the rods I9. Coil springs I6 encircle the lower portions of the rods [0 and have oneend engaged beneath the plate 9 and their other ends engaged with the heads I clamping the bar I9 on the shaft I in a manner-to permit swinging movement of this end of said shaft in a horizontal plane but-to prevent rattling. Extending upwardly and downwardly from the shaft I at an intermediate point are arms I! which 10 may be of any suitable length. The arms I! terminate, at their free ends, in reduced threaded shanks I8 on which cross heads I9 are journalled for swinging movement. Nuts 20 are threaded on the shanks I8 for retaining the cross head's I9 15 in position. Flexible cables or the like 2| extend from the ends of the lower cross head I9 to the front brakes of the vehicle and similar cables 22 connect the rear brakes of said vehicle to the up- 1 per cross head, I9. v 20 It is thought that the operation of the invention will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. When the brakepedal of the vehicle is depressed in the usual manner the cable 9 rocks the shaft I in a direction to swing the up- 25 per crosshead I9 forwardly and the lower cross head I9 rearwardly thereby. applying the brakes. The pivotal mounting ofthe cross-heads I9 permits the front brakes to equalize themselves against each other and the rear brakes to equalize 3o themselves against each other. Then, the pivotal. mounting of the rockable shaft I-permits the 'front brakes and the rear brakes of the vehicle to equalize themselves against each other. In otherwords, the front brakes pull against each other,

the rear brakes pull against each ,other, and the 5 front and rear brakes, in turn, pull against each other. As hereinbefore stated, the sprlngpressed bar I3 permits swinging movement of the free end pl'crtion of the rockable shaft I but prevents rat-- 0' t ng.-

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, pulleys 29 are 'journalled on the end portions of the arms I]. Trained around the pulleys 23 and connected at their ends to the .front and 45 ily understood and although preferred embodi- 45 for yieldin'gly 5 ments 'of the invention are as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that further modiflcations and changes in the details of construction may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:- l. A brake operating mechanism for vehicles comprising a transverse shaft having one end hicle.

pivotally and rockably connected to one side of a vehicle, a plate on the other side of said vehicle, the-other end portion of the shaft resting on said plate, spring pressed rods slidably mounted in said plate, a bar mounted on said rods and engaged with said other end portion of the shaft for yieldingly securing same against the plate, means connected to the pivoted end of the shaft for rockingsaid shaft, members pivot-- ally mounted on opposite sides of the shaft at an intermediate point, flexible members adapted to connect one of the flrst named members to the frontbrakes of the vehicle, and flexible members adapted to connect the other of said first named members to the rear brakes of the ve- 2. A brake operating mechanism for vehicles having front and rear wheel brakes, comprising a socket mounted on one side of the vehicle at arms, flexible elements adapted to connect the ends of one of said crossheads to the front brakes of the vehicle, flexible elements adapted to connect the ends of the other of said crossheads to the rear brakes of the vehicle, and

, means for securing the other end of the shaft to the other side of the vehicle for swinging movement.

3. A brake operating mechanism for vehicles having front and rear wheel brakes, comprising a socket mounted on one side of .the vehicle at an intermediate point, said socket having a slot therein, a transverse shaft including a ball on one end journalled in the socket, an arm fixed on said ball and operable in the slot, an operating element connected to said arm for rocking the shaft, arms projecting from opposite sides of 'the shaft at an intermediate point, crossheads pivotally mounted on the second named arms, flexible elements adapted to connect the ends of one of said crossheads to the front brakes of the vehicle, flexible elements adapted to connect the ends of the other of said crossheads to the rear brakesof the vehicle, and means for securing the other end of the shaft to the other side offthe vehicle for swinging movement, said means including a plate mounted on the vehicle and engaged' with the free end portion of the shaft, rods mounted for vertical sliding movement in the plate and including heads on one end, a bar mounted on the other ends of said rods and engaged with the shaft, and springs mounted on the rods and having one end engaged with the 'plate and their other ends engaged with the heads for yieldingly clamping the bar on the shaft.

' CLARK J. HARLOW. 

